To provide better health care services to the rural population, the government´, has made the Community Health Practitioner (CHP) a regular government official from April 1, 1992. This study was carried out to study the impact of officialization of CHP on the activities and management system of Primary Health Post (PHP).
Fifty PHPs were selected by two stage sampling, cluster and simple random, from 595 PHPs in Kyungnam and Kyungpook provinces. Data were collected by a personal interview with CHPs and review of records and reports kept in the PHPs. The study was done for the periods of January 1-March 31, 1992 (before officialization) and January 1-March 31, 1993 (after officialization).
Ninety-six percent of the CHPs wanted to become a regular government official in the hope of better job security and higher salary. The proportion of CHPs who were proud of their job was increased from 24.0% to 46.0% after officialization. Those CHPs who felt´ insecure for their job decreased from 30.0% to 10.0%. Monthly salary was increased by 34.0% from 802,600 Won to 1,076,000 Won and 90.0% of the CHPs were satisfied with their salary, also more, CHPs responded that they have autonomy in their work planning, implementation of pan, management of the post, and evaluation of their activity.
There were no appreciable changes in such CHPs´ activities as assessment of local health resources, drawing map for the catchments area, utilization of community organization´, grasping the current population structure in the catchment’s area, keeping the family health records, individual and group health education, and school health service. However, the number of home visits was increased from 13.6 times on the average per month per CHP to 27.5 times. More mothers and children were referred to other medical facilities for the immunization and family planning services. Average number of patients of hypertension, cancer, and diabetes in three months period was decreased from 12.7 to 11. 6, from 1.5 to 1.2 and 4.3 to 3.4, respectively.
Records for the patient care, drug management, and equipment were well kept but not for other records. The level of record keeping was not changed after officialization.
The proportion of PHPs, which had support from the health center, was increased for drug supply from 14.0% to 30.0%, for consumable commodities from 22.0% to 52.0% for maintenance of PHP from 54.0% to 68.0% for supply of health education materials from 34.0% to 44.0%, and supply of equipment from 54.0% to 58.0%.
Total monthly revenue of a PHP was increased by about 50, 000 Won; increased by 22, 000 Won in patient care and 34,700 Won in the government subsidy but decreased in the membership due and donation. However, there was no remarkable changes in the expenditure.!
The proportion of PHPs which had received official notes from the health center for the purpose of guidance and supervision of the CHPs was increased from 20.0% to 38.0% during three months period and the average number of telephone call for supervision from the´´ health center per PHP was increased from 1.8 to 2.1 times (p (0.01). However, the proportion´, of PHPs that had supervisory visit and conference was reduced from 78.0% to 62.0%, and from 86.0% to 74.0%, respectively.
The proportion of CHPs who maintained a coorperative relationship with Myun Health Workers was reduced from 84.0% to 72.0%. The proportition of CHPs who maintained a good cooperative relationship with. the director of health center from 46.0% to 24.0%, that with the chief of public health administration section from 56.0% to 36.0%, and that with the chairman of PHP management council from 62.0% to 38.0%. Most of the CHPs (92.0% before and 82.0% after officialization) stated that the PHP management council is not helpful for the PHP. CHPs who considered the PHP management council unnecesssary increased from 4.0% to 16.0%(p<0.05).
Suggestions made by the CHPs for the improvement of CHP program included emphasis on health education, assurance of autonomy for PHP management increase of the kind d of drugs that can be dispensed by CHPs, and appointment of an experienced CHP in the health center as the supervisor of CHPs
The results of this study revealed that the role and function of CHPs as reflected in their activities have not been changed after officialization. However satisfaction in job security and salary was improved as well as the autonomy. Support of health center to the PHP was improved but more official notes were sent to the PHPs, which required the CHPs more paperwork. Number of telephone calls for supervision was increased but there was little administrative and technical guidance for the CHP activities.
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